Hell Has an Elevator

Survival of the Not So Fittest

This is normal speech or narration.

This is thoughts or internal monologue.

This is yelling or important actions.

_______________

Sitting in the bed, I tuck my feathers together into their proper spots, so they make a proper waterproof coat for me. Hearing the fridge open, I barely glance up at Yochi, grabbing a cup of ice from in there, breaking it apart and dropping a few chunks into her cup.

While grooming my feathers, I let my mind wander about what we could do for work. After all, I can't leave Yochi here alone, we promised each other not to leave. There's not many jobs that would hire an eight year old, though, let alone a thirteen year old and them. Maybe a job at a gas station? No, they sell cigarettes. What else? A pet store? No, Yochi is too young. Wash cars? No, my wings would get waterlogged and messed up from the soap too quickly. Mowing lawns? Oh, that might work.

Yochi sits next to me, helping me with my other wing. With a little smile, I speak. "We're gonna go try to mow some lawns later. Are you fine with that?"

With a nod, she continues, and we work on my wings. Humming a little tune, she joins in, and we hum a song I heard what feels like a long time ago, now. Some piano song with a calm tune, almost fitting the situation we're in now.

Stretching my wings out, we move onto her tail, brushing it until it's nice and clean. And fluffy. Can't forget fluffy.

A knock on the door rings out, and her tail instantly shoots down, her body trembling. Patting her head, Vix hops into her lap, and she holds him close as I stand up, answering the door. It's the landlord, and I quickly pay him and he leaves. Looking down at what we have left, it's enough for maybe another month, and with winter around the corner, it's not looking good.

With that extra fire lit under me, I beckon Yochi over. "Time to go try and make some money."

__What makes the world go round.__

Knocking on the door, a young woman opens it, looking down at us with a confused look. "Hello?"

I'm clinging to Ember's shirt, hidden behind her. She's standing tall, and her voice is deeper than normal, like she's trying to be an adult. "Hello! Could we mow your lawn for you?"

The woman looks at the two of us with an inquisitive gaze, before nodding, stepping outside and around the side of the house. "Sure. I've been meaning to do it, but work's been too busy. You know how to use a lawn mower, right?"

Nodding, Ember says "Yeah.", as we follow her to a lawnmower behind the house, hidden under a little roof of a porch. I can tell though, it seems like a lie.

After pouring some fuel in it, she nods to us. "There you lasses go, once you've finished I'll pay you. How much?"

"Er... twenty dollars?"

Looking at her with a smile, she nods. "Alright, I'll have it for you two once you're all finished. Just knock on the back door when you're done."

She heads back inside, and after a few moments, Ember starts trying to start the lawn mower. I think? She's pulling on a string, but it doesn't start doing anything.

After a few moments of her doing this, an awkward silence after each failed start, I think I realize what the issue is. Tapping her shoulder, she looks back at me, and I motion at the handle, making a grabbing motion. She nods, and grabs the handle, pulling a little bar to it, and this time it starts.

With a little fist pump of triumph, she pats me on the head before starting on the lawn. It takes some time, effort, and a few attempts by me to take turns with her, though I basically just held the handle down for her so it wouldn't stop before she got back to it.